1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an artist/make-up brush device, and more specifically to a brush device that consists of a pen-type cylinder with an individual brush tip, wherein the brush tip is selectively interchangeable, retractable and sanitizable.
2. Description of the Related Art
Prior brushes have tried to address the problem of both utilizing retractable bristles to address self-styling and concerns regarding interchangeability with limited success. Some prior retractable bristle brushes utilize complicated systems of movement that increase the cost of manufacture of the brush, require two hands to operate effectively, and fail due to material collected within the operating components of the brush.
One example of a retractable bristle brush is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,815,877 to Heneveld. Heneveld provides a rectangular brush wherein bristles are retracted from the top side of the brush by moving a sleeve that holds the bristles along a bottom side of the brush, retracting the bristles into the brush handle.
Several prior art brushes provide circular bristle sections that require extensive mechanical systems and movement to retract and/or extend the bristles. U.S. Pat. No. 6,070,594 to Mears discloses a circular brush having bristles mounted on rotatable axles, which are then moveably mounted on an inner mandrel with the bristles extending through slots through an outer mandrel rotatably mounted on the brush. The system requires a user to rotate the inner mandrel in relation to the outer mandrel while maintaining the brush in a styling position to retract the bristles.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,596,261 to Renda et al. discloses a complicated system utilizing cams and grooves, and includes several control mechanisms to retract and extend the bristles. The brush as disclosed does not provide for one-handed use in styling one's hair.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,567,905 to Stewart et al. discloses another version of a cam operated slidable retractable bristle brush. The bristle retraction control operates by co-action with a rotatable cylindrical mandrel having pivotal bristles.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,109,877 is retractable and has multiple brush tips contained within a single unit. This configuration has several drawbacks to the make-up artist. First, it has a relatively large diameter which makes it less desirable to a make-up artist. Second, the multiple tips that retract into a single unit have the potential for mixture of particulates from the different brush heads.
The prior devices, as described above, have several problems. Some can only accommodate a single brush stick. When more than one brush stick is used selectively, the changing either cannot be accomplished rapidly, or the change results in a undesirable mixing of particulate from the various brush heads.
It is thus desired to provide a replaceable brush that has a streamlined body wherein the artist may rapidly use.